If you have any intention to start an email marketing campaign…. it’s really clear that you need an e-mail marketing list, but where can you get one to use?  Often, people commit the cardinal sin of buying an e-mail marketing list.  Take my advice and the don’t make a similar mistake.

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I’m sure you seen the ads that offer you tens of thousands or even millions of e-mail addresses at very low cost.  Unfortunately, if you fall for those ads and buy and use one of those lists,  you stand a very good chance of being labeled as a spammer.

These addresses are typically bogus, or  old and much abused.  If your e-mail does get through, its highly likely to end up in someone’s junk email box.  Typical email marketing statistics are that about 70% of e-mail addresses you buy are either bogus or duplicated, and the remainder are highly likely to have not agreed to receive your e-mails.

In addition, there are services where you can rent e-mail lists that may in fact be legitimate and double opt in as well, but these may cost as much as $.20-$.30 per e-mail.  At these rates,   your e-mail copy and your offermust be exceptional to achieve a return on your investment.  Keep in mind that the primary goal of any e-mail marketing campaign is to be sending your offerings to people who actually want to hear from you.

So, the big question is, where can you find those people?  Far and away, the best bet is to build your own list of double opt in e-mail addresses for people who actually have expressed interest in hearing from you, and who are interested in what you offer.  The list defined below includes a number of ways to accomplish this:

1. Opt in form on your webpage: Use an opt in form and webpage to ask visitors sign up for your newsletter, and it is most effective to offer a free report and return for their name and e-mail address.

2. The direct mail option: This requires a have a list of potential customers to which you can send a flyer or postcard.  Use this method to ask the recipients to visit your website and sign-up for your free report or newsletter.

3. Use the telemarketers: If you have the funds, you could potentially use a telemarketing service to make direct contact with your potential clients.  The telemarketers should be instructed to collect the e-mail addresses, possibly in return for a special incentives.

4. Lead brokers: You can sign up with websites that offer brew for your brokerage services for leads.  Most lead brokers will offer this service for averages $.10-$.15 per e-mail message.

5. Door-to-door: Consider hiring students who are willing to go door-to-door to collect e-mail addresses.  In return for free offers and information.

6. Online contests: Yse contest entry forms on your website to collect e-mail addresses.  Be sure that the contest entrants are aware that you may be following up with them with additional offers.

7.  Retail outlets solutions: If you operate a physical business, ask for the e-mail addresses for each of your customers that will enable you to follow up with them later with information about specials and other offers.  It’s a good idea to get in some kind of coupon or other incentives in return for the e-mail address.

So, as you can see there are certainly broad variety of ways to start building your e-mail list, regardless of the kind of business you are in.

However, if you are able to build a list numbering in the hundreds or thousands, it is essential that you have an effective auto responder system that will enable you automatically distribute your messages and offers. Just submit your name and email below for a free test drive